It’s important to remember that the questions in the IELTS Speaking test are of a general nature and do not require any specialised knowledge. You have to be ready to talk about anything and of course, you’ll be doing it in English!
The best way to start is to download my free report, Speaking Test Tips from an IELTS Tutor where I give more in-depth tips than in this post. Next, read through this post to pick up other tips and strategies.
I usually recommend that my students become interested in everything that goes on around them and think about it in English. Every time you’re having a conversation in your own language, ask yourself, ‘How would I say this in English?’ Make a list of 20 everyday topics and see if you can talk about them in English. Here are some examples; the weather, your favourite TV programme, your favourite food, a terrible day, a wonderful day etc.
Part 1
In part 1 of the IELTS Speaking test, you will be asked questions about yourself and about familiar topics. Make sure you can talk about the following:
- your home
- where you live
- your family
- your job (or the course you are studying)
- your interests and hobbies.
Have a look at my post ‘IELTS Speaking Test Part 1 Sample Questions and Answers’ for more in-depth information.
Part 2
In Part 2, you have to talk about a topic for1-2 minutes.
First of all, think of any topic that interests you and you know about and talk about it for two minutes. Make sure you time yourself so you know what two minutes feels like. Check out my post ‘IELTS Speaking Test Part 2 Sample Question and Answer’ to listen to my example (Band Score 9!) of a two-minute talk.
Once you can talk for two minutes about topics you know about, the next step is to choose a topic from one of the topics in my post ‘IELTS Speaking Test Part 2 Sample Questions’ and practise talking for two minutes about that topic. Again, you should time yourself.
In both cases, you should allow yourself one minute before you begin talking to make notes. I also think it’s a good idea to record yourself. When you listen to the recording, see how often you repeat yourself or hesitate. Your ultimate aim is to speak fluently without much hesitation and without repeating yourself.
Part 3
It is difficult to practise for this part of the speaking test as it is much more flexible. I suggest you converse with native English speakers as much as possible.
Ask a native English speaker or a friend who speaks good English to actually practise part 3 with you. A good idea is to show them a topic from part 2 and get them to ask you questions related to that topic area.
Remember that this part of the test lasts 4-5 minutes. See my post ‘IELTS Speaking Test Part 3 Sample Questions and Answers’ for more tips.
In order to improve your English speaking skills, you really must ‘practise, practise and practise.’ If you would like to do a practice IELTS Speaking test with me via skype, please contact me.
Here’s to the best IELTS score possible!